"Who else did they get?" Mike sighed. Great... just great.

"A whole bunch of others." Jamal responded

All at once Ruby's ears perked up, the fox girl heard footsteps from down the hallway. She uttered a small whimper when she caught Fusionists scent. She felt Jamal's hand cling onto hers as two more sets of footsteps joined one, slightly soft and one loud and thunderous.

Fusionist led the other two with a large smirk on his face as he looked in the cells of the mutants captured from the mansion. Tattoo followed behind, lashing the spiked whip in his hand into various cells a the mutants arms and legs.

Sapphire was the last to follow, she carried a clipboard not really looking at the mutants...well until she caught Ruby's scent. Her eyes widened, dropping her clipboard. She took off running down the long rows of cells, despite Fusionists orders until she reached Ruby and Jamal's cell.

"Ruby!" Sapphire exclaimed from the outside of the cell, looking at her younger sister with a mixture of sadness and pity in her eyes.

"Sapphy?" Ruby questioned, wobbly walking to the Bars. Jamal picked her up and carried her over to her eldest sister.

"Baby sister...what are you doing here? You aren't supposed to be here." Sapphire asked, a hint of compassion showing in her eyes.

"We where taken from the mansion! Sapphire why cant you help us? Why do you have to work for Fusionist?" Ruby asked, eyes widening.

"It's not like that its just-" Sapphire was cut off by the spiked whip lashing across her back. She merely flinched before turning to Tattoo and Fusionist.

"That was a bit out of line Tattoo." Fusionist growled at the taller male.

"Sorry sir."

Sapphire turned to Fusionist, back bleeding like crazy. "Master you said you would only take the mutants that where 17 and older! You promised me!" Sapphire barked harshly at Fusionist.

Fusionist's eyes widened at his assistants sudden rebellious nature. "Now, now sapphire, you out of all people should know that i often change my mind." Fusionist smirked and with unimaginable speed slammed Sapphire into the bars of Ruby and Jamal's cell.

Sapphire put up no fight as Fusionist took the whip from Tattoo and rotated her around.

"Now sapphire you know the punishment for yelling at me." Fusionist smiled as he whipped the woman across the back. He heard the firs cry of pain after the tenth lash.

"STOP!"Ruby cried, tears filling her eyes as she watched Sapphire getting punished.

Ruby kept crying out to stop until after the 36 lash Fusionist finally stopped. Fusionist looked at the fox girl coldly before prying Sapphire from the bars. He kicked her harshly in the ribs before smiling at her. "Sapphire my dear, consider yourself lucky I didn't use this against your sister yet.." Fusionist smiled as he motioned for Tattoo to follow.

Both walked down the hallway, leaving a whipped Sapphire to Slowly raise herself up. Her black hair cascaded down her face as she gently raised herself up. "He was very merciful to me." Sapphire stated aloud. She began to walk down the hallway slowly, pratically dragging herself. Little drops of blood followed her every move as she dragged herself. She groaned as she started to reach the door.

"You all must be prepared for the inspection by potential buyers later...be ready." Sapphire stated.

"If you were planning on selling me, beating the hell out of me probably wasn't the smartest idea, you inhuman bastard," Cassiel called out after Fusionist, his spirit momentarily kindled at the sight of Sapphire getting beaten.

Ruby was crying hysterically, meanwhile as Jamal tried to pry her away from the bars. She refused to move until she could no longer see her older sister, her ears flattened and her tail moved between her legs as she sat near the gate.

"I'm so sorry, Ruby." Jamal offered feeling inadequate.

"It's not your fault..." she sighed. "I wish emmy were here though."

Skoliro had seen the whole horrible sight. It brought back memories, cursed memories. He sat cross legged and closed his eyes. It was time to metitate...but suddenly his eye shot open as he heard the others comments. They where selling them, like, like some kind of possession. Standing he walked over to the far corner of the cell. It's not like he could help any. Skoliro stopped as he heard foot steps, someone was coming. He turned and peered out of his cage.It was the man from before.He walked up to the bars and looked the man over. The man just looked back at him.

Well?

He said, with a scruffy voice. But Skoliro just shrugged, what use was it?

Less than twenty minutes later trays of food where slid through the slots in the doors before they where bolted up tightly. Each food was specially chosen for the inhabitants of the cells and looked nothing like harsh prison food, it looked like normal food they would eat day to day. But if they looked closely, nothing seemed amiss unless they looked hard enough.

Ruby looked at the treys that slid in for herself and Jamal. Each trey had a slice of cheese pizza on it, except Ruby's had Apple slices on hers. There was also a glass of water on each tray filled to the brim with cold sparkling water. The fox looked at the food wearily as Jamal picked up the food eagerly.

"About time they fed us." Jamal grinned about to take a huge bite out of his pizza.

"Jamal wait!" Ruby barked, watching as Jamal put the pizza back down.

"What Ruby? They finally feed us and you don't want me to eat it?" Jamal asked the fox girl.

"No Its just before examinations and stuff they used to put drugs in my food so I would pass out beforehand." Ruby replied, ears flattening.

"What about the water?" Jamal questioned, pushing his pizza over to the side.

"No nothing was ever in the water, it was always the food, they made sure that it was the persons favorite food, one the couldn't resit and then put the sleeping drug in it." Ruby explained, tail drooping between her legs.

"Oh okay red." Jamal responded taking a small sip of water, the boy suddenly felt a sharp pain in his temple. The boy put the water down, slightly woozy.

"Jamal?" Ruby asked with a small whimper. She watched as he fell to the ground, with a thump and the fox girl stared shaking him. "Jamal! Jamal!" Ruby tried rousing her boyfriend.

If someone didn't know better they would think he would have collapsed from exhaustion and fatigue but Ruby knew better, it was the drug in the water, a fast acting drug. Ruby shook Jamal for a moment longer before a tranquilizer speed into her neck. the thirteen year old let out a sharp cry as she drifted into unconsciousness.

Two burly orderless ran into the cell, scooping the two teens up and dragging them to the inspection rooms.

((FYI Both the food and the water is drugged so even if your char refuses to drink or eat ether they will still be shot with a tranq dart. The inspection Rooms are for potential people who would want to buy hours with the mutants to experiment or do whatever they please with them. Oh an the people are scientests...most of them. Every person in every cell will have there own, Ruby and Jamal will share one to make it more dramatic for there situation. Okay got it? Good now lets get this rolling))

Twenty minutes had passed before anything had occurred in Raphael’s cell. Food slid in through a slit in the door. Chinese food, sesame chicken, his preferred. He stopped slamming his fists into the wall and turned to stare at the food and water. “Trying to buy me out now, eh?” He muttered angrily, and then took more of his frustration out on the food, kicking it clear across his cell. He looked back towards the door. “You want me to feel better ‘bout me bein’ here? Come in and let me pound you for a bit.” He shouted, as loud as he could at the door.

Less than a minute passed and a burly orderly opened the door, and a smile spread across Raphael’s face as he sprung to action, putting his bare foot clean across the man’s head, and sent him down hard, bleeding slightly from his temple.

The next man through the door did so cautiously, and with a tranquilizer rifle. “You wanna play hard mutie?” He then leveled the rifle off and let loose a couple shots that landed squarely in Raphael’s chest. He stared down at them for a moment then took a step forward and collapsed.

He came too groggily, staring up through a clear plane of hard plastic. Staring out at two men, one eagerly looking in at him, one looking pleased with himself.

“I can see what you mean… He is a regenerator. He’ll do quite pleasantly. But I’ll need him for more than a couple hours.” The man who was looking eagerly at Raphael turned his attention to the other man. “My research takes time Dr. Fusionist. Days if I rushed it.”

“Of course, James,” Fusionist smiled at his associate. “The usual rate applies though. No discounts.”

“You’ll get your rate,” James responded. “Jus’ have him delivered to my lab… funding is not a problem. And if you could spare an associate or two, I would greatly appreciate the aid… to help get my research done a little bit quicker.”

“Certainly.” Fusionist smiled and turned back towards Raphael in the holding cell. “Drug him again. He’s too feisty to attempt to move while he’s conscious.”

Raphael lifted his head, groaning softly as he came back to consciousness. His surroundings had changed again, he was no longer trapped in a cell, free to punch things, or people. He was in a lab of some sort, a couple people in long white lab coats moving around the room and looking at various screens positioned throughout the room. The room itself was sparsely decorated, mostly vials, tubing and monitors, all centered around a table capable of rotating 360 degrees around. It was to this table that Raphael was firmly attached. He was ignored, outside of what the monitors revealed of his body.

The man he had seen speaking with Fusionist moments before came down a set of stairs.

“Ahh…. My subject has awoken.” He smiled. “Now then… time to tell me a little bit about yourself.” He said with a smile and picked up a scalpel.

((Umm deltiod, your character shouldnt be that fiesty. The drugs they have them on dampers thier powers and they have been torchered beyond all belief. His body should be weak like everyone elses, heck even cassiel has been weakened and he is one of the strongest characters on the site. Im just saying to tone it down a bit. Im not trying o boss you around but I do want to be fair to everyone by making everyones character extremly weakened by the events.))

Skoliro continued to stare at the man, and he returned it. Finally another man came up behind the other and handed him a tray. The fusionist put the tray on the ground and left. Skoliro looked down at the food. There were some pancakes, topped with fresh berries. There was a glass of water and a another glass filled with a crimson liquid.They looked OK, but he had his doubt, right now he could care less though. Picking up the water he took sip, just to test it, but even that was too much. The drugs worked fast, and he was out within seconds.

Skoliro awoke in a new room.He tried to sit up but soon realized he had yet to obtain full control of his muscles.After awhile of just laying there he could finally sit up and look around. There was a sign on the door that said Inspection Room.He was in some kind of glass cage, in a large room. There were people wandering around, looking at the mutants. A few stopped and pointed at him.Grant it he had idea what they where saying, but it was probably something about his wings or ears. Humans tended to notice and make fun.One reached up and touched a button, and Skoliro was flooded with voices. The one man who had touched the button called to him.

Mutant. Can you hear me?

His voice was stretched, like they thought he was stupid or something.

Yeah, I can here you.

He responded, with a tent of slyness in his voice.

(OOC: Raphael did one kick and went down after being shot with the darts, so it's not so bad. Though, yes, everyone should remember that they have been badly beaten and experimented on, thus weakened greatly. Most, incapacitated.)

Raphael gritted his teeth through the grueling examination by a combination of the three doctors roaming the room. The one who had initially spoken to him stood back and off to the side for the most part, making notes on a clip-board. Recording regeneration time after one of his peers cut on Raphael. Vials were drawn of Raphael’s blood and tissue samples taken from various places on his body, and all moved to other portions of the lab for testing, attempting to isolate what granted Raphael his regeneration.

For now, however, the tests had ceased. He lay limply on the table, feeling as though he had taken the worst beating ever in the ring. While he did not show bruises on his muscles, or lacerations from where he had been sliced, he still felt them. But for now he was glad it seemed to be over. This guy certainly seemed intent on conducting scientific studies, not being a sadistic torturer. And while the studies he had conducted over the past couple hours certainly had been painful, and intrusive, Raphael had been able to endure it.

Though it was not the worse to come.

“You’ve been quite a pleasant find for us Mr. Sevresch.” The head doctor said, brushing shoulder length brown hair out of his eyes. “And your tissue and blood contributions to our research will cause great strides in implementing the regeneration you exhibit in regular soldiers.” The smile he plastered on hardly made Raphael feel better about the situation he was in. “Which is the main goal of our research here: improving the wellbeing of humankind. And you are doing your part quite valiantly my dear mutant. Though there is more to come. While the techs break down your samples and isolate, then replicate, your regeneration factor, it’ll be hours, or even days… possibly weeks, before your samples are deconstructed and studied. So, we might as well strive forward in another direction.”

The man stopped to take a breath and look over Raphael’s body, while Raphael fixed the hardest glare on the other man as possible, given his fatigued state.

“Now, now… no need to be testy. I know… You’re tired. So am I.” He offered a benevolent smile. “But science doesn’t wait for anyone, and my time with you is limited. Our next group of tests are of particular interest to me. See, I like adamantium. It’s hard, neigh unbreakable. The perfect substance to craft armor out of. Perfect substance to make, oh, I don’t know, bones unbreakable. If we had a method of quickly bonding it to someone’s skeleton, for example. Of course, there is the drawback that to most beings on this planet the stuff is highly poisonous… which again, you’re going to help us break through!” He said, punching his fist into the air to punctuate his words. “But I digress; I’m getting side-tracked. See, the bonding process typically takes a long time… too long actually. But, we’ve got a couple of experiments to change that. We’re going to try different methods of bonding adamantium to skeletal matter, muscle tissue, and possibly lacing strands through the skin. I know… it’s going to be very painful, and likely traumatic. But it’s just something we have to do, for the future of mankind.”

The man smiled at Raphael as though he were his favorite lab rat, and then stepped back so various forms of equipment could be rolled in, followed by a large vat of molten adamantium.

The view of this new equipment being rolled into the room sank the point home that Raphael was not out of the frying pan yet. It refueled the fire of his will to an extent, and he forced his aching body to move and struggle fruitlessly against the restraints that kept him solidly attached to the table. He shouted obscenities, and was gagged, pulled, and tugged, and eventually tired himself out, falling reluctantly limp on the table.

“See, previously we just grafted it straight onto the bone… this time we’re going to try something a little different…” the lead scientist began, though Raphael let it slide through his head, and then simply could not hear it at all as he tried to scream through the gag as they began their work on him.

Ruby was the first to awake in the inspection room, and wasn’t particularly proud of it. She was propped up against a wall next to Jamal in the large glass cage; the fox girl gently squeezed his hand trying her best to wake him up without speaking. She saw people looking at the two of them, gesturing rudely and some unheard words. Ruby whimpered when she saw someone entered their cell, which woke Jamal up immediately.

A man dressed in a black lab coat walked in the room, Fusionist following close behind. Ruby knew by his lab coat that he was one of the higher ranking scientists ((lower ranking the Fusionist of course)); his position was one of the heads of new torturing methods for Mutants. Ruby looked nervously over at Jamal who returned her glance, squeezing her hand gently.

Slowly, the two teens where able to move a bit, making Jamal wrap his arm around Ruby, who started shaking like a leaf, bad things where about to occur. The first scientist made a harsh gesture to Fusionist who nodded with an evil grin on his face. Fusionist walked over to the two, eyes focused entirely on Ruby.

Ruby’s green eyes widened in horror as Fusionist approached her, the fox girl let out a small whimper, trying to get as close to Jamal as possible while he tightened his grip on her. Jamal would not let his monster hurt Ruby again; his princess would not be hurt again.

Fusionist smirked at the two as he got close enough to them, a harsh laugh erupting from his throat. He quickly withdrew his taser and as quick as lighting shoved it against Jamal’s skin, turning it on. At the exact moment he jerked Rub away from Jamal, flailing helplessly in his tight grip on her waist.

Fusionist turned the taser off and placed it back in his labcoat, watching as Jamal flopped onto the floor unconscious, Ruby watching with tears streaming down her face. She was dragged towards the center of the room as the other scientist began to look her over.

“So this is Electricfox.” He said with a smile

“Yes Roger this is her, a little battery that never runs out.” Fusionist returned the smile.

“Unless of course we kill her.”

“Yes that is a good point, but we won’t be doing that will we?” Fusionist stated in a manavolent tone.

“Of course not boss but I just want examine her a little more thoroughly.” Roger said, looking at Ruby.

If the men looked in the corner they would realize Jamal was slowly getting up as Roger started to ‘examine Ruby, anger growing by the second.

Dr Roger proceeded to poke and prod Ruby with a small needle, making the fox’s ears go straight back. The needle collected various blood samples from Ruby’s tiny body also injecting a small dose of tranquilizer so she would not fight back as much. Dr. Roger then decided place his glasses on and then began stroking Ruby’s hair slowly. Ruby jerked away and began to go back to her and Jamal’s spot when she was grabbed by the scruff of her neck.

“Now, Now ElectricFox just relaxes,” Dr Roger smiled, slipping the full tranquilizer into the delicate part of Ruby’s neck. The fox girl cried out in pain as she felt her limbs going limp in the good doctors grasp.

Roger smiled as he began to examine the fox girl a lot more thoughtly. He felt her curves and squeezed in random places with his rubber gloves but he took the off when his hand wandered to Ruby’s thigh. His hand was cold and took no notice of the small drops of tears streaming down her face or the fact that Jamal had managed to get on his feet and glared at Roger.

“Jamal, help.” Ruby whimpered like a wounded puppy as Roger’s hand began examining the muscles of her calves.

It was almost in slow motion of what occurred in those split seconds, Jamal managing to punch Dr Roger in the back of the head, Rogers getting infuriated and pushing Jamal away and onto the floor, Ruby dragging herself Jamal and Dr Roger finding the cat of nine tails and preparing to whip.

“Eat this Mutie!” He roared as it was going to strike Jamal on the chest. The boy had his eyes closed, not wanting his princess to see his tears

Jamal paused, not feeling any pain when he opened his eyes Ruby had pinned him down by his arms, drops of Blood streamed from the little girls back. “No…Ruby.”

Ruby merely smiled a Jamal as she felt the whip strike down on her again, letting out a startled cry Jamal couldn’t move because he was too weak too at the moment.. After 12 there was one more lash before Ruby collapsed onto of Jamal, panting heavily. Her back had no tasted the whip in a long time so she merely was weak.

”Roger!” Fusionist snapped, ripping the whip away from the older man. “Only I can hurt my experiment! Unless you buy her you can’t hurt her.”

“Fine.” Dr Roger said, “Let me go home and get my checkbook.”

Fusionist merely rolled his eyes as Dr Roger walked out, and he too left the two alone. Jamal flipped Ruby over onto his lap, stroking her hair gently. “My…Princess,” He chocked out, tears threating to fall. “Why did you do that?”

Ruby meekly looked up at Jamal, intertwining her hand in his. “I want to protect my Knight in shinning armor.”

“Mr. Sevresch,” The lead scientist stated. “Wake up Mr. Sevresch.”

Raphael had no clue as to how much time had passed. He had lost consciousness as the scientists had attempted to lace adamantium through his muscles. He still did not know how that had turned out; though by how he judged the scientist’s tone he was likely to learn soon. What he did know was that he hurt worse than before, and was more that thankful that even his body, with its amazing regenerative powers, had a threshold for pain and still allowed him to pass out from too much trauma. He shot a glare back towards the scientist as soon as consciousness allowed him.

“Now, now…” the scientist smiled at Raphael. “Do be civil. You’re doing your fellow humans such a service. And, if you’re civil about the entire thing, we could possibly help you too. Service goes both ways Mr. Sevresch. Preliminary tests came back on your tissue samples. Tell me about your other mutation.”

Raphael stared at the man as though he were speaking some supremely different language for a moment.

“Tell you about my mutations?” he asked, and found that talking even hurt. He began to wonder just how much adamantium they had managed to bind to various parts of him. The lack of scars on his body made such identification by visual examination next to impossible; and certainly impossible by the aching Raphael. “Why… Why should I tell you? Give you more… more reasons to poke and prod me?”

“Mmm… We could possibly help you control it…” He said with a smile, though it hardly passed his lips. “You know… possibly tweak it to further extents than you realize possible.”

”No.” Raphael stated through gritted teeth. He did not want anything to do with this man, or his organization.

“Sure Mr. Sevresch,” he said, standing up and smiling again. “Guess it is back to our other experiments then. We need to go back to trying to keep your body from rejecting adamantium laced into your muscles. And there’s always trying to find the most effective way to bind it to your skeleton. As well as going ahead with the experiment to plate it under your skin. Since we can’t work on your other mutation… we might as well work on the one we know of.”

”I am going to kill you.” Raphael threatened, even if it held no weight at that point in time. “I am going to politely cut your spine out.”

“I really doubt that Mr. Sevresch.” The lead scientist said, walking to the door. “Mr. Sanders, you can resume your work, my conversation with him is through.”

Skoliro looked up at the man, no realizing that his cage was dark, the only light entering was from outside the glass.The men where straining to see him, especially the one who had spoken to him. Then the man started to talk again stretching his words as he had before.

How-do-you-feel-mutant?

The other man turned to him and shook his head.

This is the nocturnal mutant, right?

He nodded,

Yup!

Again he shook his head, obviously bored by the mans ignorance.

Well then, lets get this over with.

But Robert, don't you at least want to make sure he is up to it?

Robert turned and waved to the man.Suddenly the light came on in the cage and Skoliro winced, he hated when that happened.A door opened and Robert entered. He stood and face the man.

Well mutant, by the looks of it you are quite young. That doesn't matter, though, you will do nicely...

[/color]

Raphael let out a soft whimper. The work two scientists were doing on him hurt. It was worse that hurt. It was a deep aching; the pain had faded to something that had seeped into his very being. He had ceased looking down as they opened gashes into him right down to the bone to lace adamantium directly onto his ribs using a laser to keep the stuff molten as they very carefully worked on him almost as though they were soldering a circuit board only on a much more massive scale, and more complete manner. His rib cage was not the first place they had worked though. The first portion they had tried new methods, and not like the one they used now, on was his skull; which was now much heavier than he had ever known it to be. Though they had also worked on his shoulders and upper arms, as well as his hips and thigh bones.

He still hurt all over his body, even if he was barely showing the surgical lines where they had opened him up. He let his eyes drift downward as a he caught a whiff of burning flesh and then let his head drop with a metallic thunk against the table as consciousness left him once more.

“Yes, Dr. Fusionist,” Padwell spoke into a phone. “I’ll need more time with him.” He nodded some, listening to Fusionist on the other end of the line.
“Yes, of course. The usual rate, you’ll get it, but I also want access to more equipment.” He stopped and listened to the other end of the line.
“Why? Because he’s got another mutation that he won’t tell me about, something that might be of use to me. It might make him a candidate for Project 3124 alpha,” Padwell said, then smiled and nodded as he listened. “Thank you very much Dr. Fusionist,” and hung up the phone.

Raphael drew a slow shuttering breath. His chest hurt worse than the rest of his body, and it was made worse by the feeling as though someone had placed a weight on it. He opened his eyes and looked around to the now familiar laboratory room then settled on the lead scientist. “You’re sitting there… and I’m not being cut on…. So either you think I’ve hit my physical limit, and you are worried about killing your precious subject….” He stated slowly, drawing slow labored breaths almost every third word. “Or… you want to talk about something again…”

Padwell smiled, almost genuinely this time. “You’re quite observant Mr. Sevresch. And I am impressed you are still capable of forming such cognitive thoughts. I know you heal quite fast, but… that typically doesn’t keep a person’s mind from shutting down.” He let the smile fade from his face. “But to get to the point, I’ve discovered what your other mutation is. And those who fund my research have got a proposal for you Mr. Sevresch.”

”If it involves killing you….” He trailed off, settling into a soft pant as he struggled to catch his breath.

“No, it wouldn’t,” Padwell said with a soft sigh. “It’s a work proposal. An enhancement proposal, more complete than what you’ve received thus far. Accompanied by training for the enhancements we do to you.”

”No.” Raphael uttered the single word of defiance, despite the aches and pains of his body, his will had not broken.

“We’ll give you more time to contemplate that decision Mr. Sevresch. And do rest up. We’ve more tests to run soon.” Padwell responded and got up to leave the room.